Anyone know what saddle(s) might fit the same as a Crosby Equilibrium? This saddle dots my horse fabulously but the flap is not nearly forward enough for my long thigh. Horse is extremely sensitive to saddle fit and a bit quirky about mounting and I need to find something that doesn’t set him off. For now I’m riding with my knee over the flap. I find the saddle comfy and well balanced but need to find something that fits me better for the long run.
[QUOTE=butiwantedapony;8510069]
Anyone know what saddle(s) might fit the same as a Crosby Equilibrium? This saddle dots my horse fabulously but the flap is not nearly forward enough for my long thigh. Horse is extremely sensitive to saddle fit and a bit quirky about mounting and I need to find something that doesn’t set him off. For now I’m riding with my knee over the flap. I find the saddle comfy and well balanced but need to find something that fits me better for the long run.[/QUOTE]
Hmm… the tree in those Crosby Equilibium saddles was unusual and nice.
One place I’d send you (maybe) is to those Exselle saddles with letter suffixes (H, E, etc.). Those were Crosby’s next generation saddle… pretty soon after the Equilibria. I have found these to be horse-friendly in their fit. These are pretty, well-made saddles. They are usually nice bridle leather. You can find them floating around, often in good condition for great prices, if you have time to wait and look.
I think you can find them in better shape for that money or less. The point is that these saddles were known for having long flaps. And the H, E and other models were intended for Hunters or Equitation or whatever. I think the E version had a shallow seat and long, straight(er) flap. The H might suit you. And I think there’s one other one.
These Selle Francaise saddles were built around the same time, with the same ideas in mind. I’m not sure how their tree will relate to the Exselle saddles or all the way back to the TC/Equilibrium tree. But keep your eyes peeled.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USED-Crosby-Selle-Francais-Close-Contact-Saddle-16-5-Wide-Tree-/391370962895?hash=item5b1f86f7cf:g:EN0AAOSwFqJWo-Cb
I’ll assume your horse can fit in an old-style medium tree (which means a tad narrow by modern standards, and a narrow gullet). But the Equilibrium tree was also someone flat and the panels behind spread out nicely to distribute the rider’s weight well across a large surface area.
Along these lines-- horse friendly tree and wide panels, you just might consider a Pessoa. I’m thinking of Pessoas from the 1990s to 2005 or so (then I stopped paying attention). Those saddles were pretty horse-friendly in their fit and they did get on board with the more forward flap trend.
Oh, and if you find one to check out, you might sit in a modern Exselle Debut. It is a blond saddle with a very forward flap, IMO. I think it was build to answer the DelGrange Bucket, which has been such an influential saddle.
http://www.bahrsaddlery.com/used-exselle-debut.html
In any case, Exselle saddles are made by the Walsall Riding Saddle Company, the same people who always made Crosbys (and still do). So they have the Equilibrium tree and they may have used it in creating their more recent saddles. I have been very please with the modern Exselle saddles I have seen and owned.
The equilibrium seems to run a lot wider than other crosbus of the same era. Every other Crosby medium I have put on him is too narrow. I think this works because it seems to have short tree points. He is average width through withers but has massive shoulders.
I’ve put a few Pessoas on him with no luck - too tight in shoulders ans leaves a gap at the withers - seem to just be wrong shape on the front (although they do for him nicely front to back)
Maybe he needs a gusset?
I really just want an equilibrium with an extra forward flap 
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Year ago, I had and loved an old, plain flap Equilibrium. I, too, rode with my knee over the flap.
I now ride in a Crosby Selle Francais-- a saddle in their Centennial line (it rode the early part of the French saddle wave-- a wannabe, not-actually-French, Butet-look saddle without the Butet price tag).
I quite like it. The wide tree I have fits more like a medium-wide (typical of Crosby, I think). It’s JUST forward enough for my femur (I tend to like low-and-forward-- high forward puts me back in a chair seat). Easy to ride in, and seems well made. Something to think about if you stumble upon one on EBay.
I hear you, OP, on the Wide issue.
They did make those Selle Française saddles in Wide trees sometimes. (A Crosby/Walsall Riding Saddle Co. saddle will have a W (or M) stamped on the stirrup bar on the near side to designate tree size.)
Do you hate the straightness of the Centennial Flap? They made those in Long flaps at least. And that saddle will fit wider (but also closer) than a Selle Française. It might or might not be a viable “one step away” from the Equilibrium tree that you want… that takes into account your horse’s need for wide and your need for more flap.
mvp, do you think she could gain a little leg room by putting some hair bands, or a tiny piece of hose, on the stirrup bar? To move the stirrup leather back a bit? That worked for me on other saddles before I got my TC.
Having had all of a Crosby, a Selle Francaise and an Exselle, I will say that the Selle Francaise tree is quite curvy in comparison to the other two.
An Exselle Debut or Chasseur may be more what you are looking for in terms of a more forward flap. The Exselle Access is quite similar to an Equilibrium.
Tad Coffin designed the Equilibrium so I would look for used saddles from his own personal line of saddles that have a more forward flap. His new saddles are $$$ but an older use one can be found for under 2k
[QUOTE=steelerino;8511508]
Tad Coffin designed the Equilibrium so I would look for used saddles from his own personal line of saddles that have a more forward flap. His new saddles are $$$ but an older use one can be found for under 2k[/QUOTE]
That’s a good idea, if a couple things are true:
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The horse will fit/accept a close-fitting saddle. I mean that the TC saddle, like the Crosby Centennial and Exselle Axcess (which I own in a wide and love), will have it’s skeleton pretty close to the horse’s skelton. Panels are designed thin all over.
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You can find a forward flap. I think I have seen one or two. And a word to the wise: TCs tend to fit small for the rider. Look for one that’s at least 1/2" larger than the size you’d ride in normally.
[QUOTE=ToTheNines;8510973]
mvp, do you think she could gain a little leg room by putting some hair bands, or a tiny piece of hose, on the stirrup bar? To move the stirrup leather back a bit? That worked for me on other saddles before I got my TC.[/QUOTE]
Yes… it might work. And it will be better if your horse is a pull ride rather than a push ride. Remember that by putting your stirrup leather farther back, you are committing to have your whole “vertical line” (Heel, hip, shoulder, ear) further back. Sitting lined up farther behind the horse’s center of gravity can make it harder to balance. I had a lazy WideLoad hunter who pushed saddles back. My “vertical” was far enough behind his center of gravity that it took a lot of core strength to ride him well. And asking your leg to generate energy as well as “stick” you on that horse with the center-of-gravity problem is a PITA.
In your spot, I’d totally try rigging up a way to push my stirrup leather back… respecting, of course, the open back end and the risk of the leather sliding off. I’d feel best doing this if I had some thick leather that really didn’t slide well.
And another thing!
In theory, you can have a saddler make you the size and shape flap you desire. It’s not a really technical modification, as saddle-builds go. I can think of a guy I’d go to on the West Coast for that. And on the East Coast, I’ll bet I could figure it out too, starting with Beval’s in New Canaan, CT. And I’ll bet some of the smaller saddle makers in Walsall, UK could do it.
The one problem with this plan is the still-too-far-back/short panel and sweat flap underneath. If your knee is bumping badly into that panel padding, modifying the top flap will just make the saddle ugly without doing the job. I think a flap that doesn’t match the sweatflap would suck. But I do respect the Equilibrium tree and if I had a saddler and/or some money, I’d commission someone to build me the saddle I wanted around one of those trees.
That’s how it’s done in Western world, and the horses/riders who have saddles made around trees they choose (or trees made to fit the horse) are very happy.
Great suggestions, thanks!
Anything custom is not in the budget, but ill look into a TC or an Exselle. I had a centennial with a forward flap many years ago, maybe I can find another!
